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US 11,982,486 B2Granted
Tumble chiller
AssigneeD C Norris & Company Limited
InventorDavid Norris
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A system for cooling and/or heating one or more articles such as a tumble chiller is disclosed. The system comprises a reservoir 20 configured to contain a cooling and/or heating liquid 22, and a belt conveyor system. The belt conveyor system is configured in a first mode of operation to cause one or more articles to be tumbled within the reservoir 20, and in a second mode of operation to cause the one or more articles to be removed from the reservoir 20.
Claims9
A system for cooling or heating one or more articles, the system comprising:
- a reservoir configured to contain a liquid;
- and
- a belt conveyor system comprising a conveyor belt driven by sprockets, the sprockets comprising a first set of one or more sprockets at a top of the reservoir and a second set of one or more sprockets at the top of the reservoir;
- wherein the belt conveyor system is configured in a first mode of operation such that an upper part of the conveyor belt between the first set of one or more sprockets and the second set of one or more sprockets has a curved form to cause one or more articles to be tumbled or rocked within the reservoir;
- and
- wherein the belt conveyor system is configured in a second mode of operation such that the upper part of the conveyor belt between the first set of one or more sprockets and the second set of one or more sprockets becomes taut and inclined to cause one or more articles to be removed from the reservoir,
- the belt conveyor system being configured such that the second set of one or more sprockets is in a raised position in the second mode of operation that is vertically higher than the first set of one or more sprockets.
4 more elements
A method of cooling or heating one or more articles, the method comprising:
- driving a conveyor belt using sprockets, wherein the sprockets comprise a first set of one or more sprockets at a top of a reservoir and a second set of one or more sprockets at a top of the reservoir;
- using the conveyor belt to tumble or rock one or more articles within the reservoir containing a cooling or heating liquid, an upper part of the conveyor belt between the first set of one or more sprockets and the second set of one or more sprockets having a curved form;
- and then
- using the conveyor belt to remove the one or more articles from the reservoir by causing the upper part of the conveyor belt between the first set of one or more sprockets and the second set of one or more sprockets to become taut and inclined, the second set of one or more sprockets being vertically higher than the first set of one or more sprockets.
1 more element
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.